Improvement in brick-machines



4 sheets-511mm C, S.. BIGLER.

BRICK-MACHINE; vN``1'7 Z,864 Patented Fe ]a.1, 1876.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-UWOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED!fSTATESA PATENT? CASPER S. Brenna, oF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

nviPRovl-:MENTI IN BRICK-MACHINES. i

Specification forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 172,864, dated February January 6, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CASPER S. BIGLER., of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin-'and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Vuseful Improvement in Brick-Macl'lines, of which'the following is a speciication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings:

The invention relates to certain improvements in machines for making brick; and consists in the devices hereinafter 'specifically designated. l

Y The object of thc invention is to produce a machine-'which will rapidly and properly mold and deliver bricks.

Figure l is a perspective view of a device embodying the elements of the invention. Fi 2 is a similarview from the opposite'side. Fig. 3 is a vertical central longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a plan view.v Fi 5 is a'detached view of the presser-plate ,plane, and adjustable standard. Figr isa detached view ofmix!A Ving Shaft and knives. Fig. 7 is a detached .perspective ,view of a portion of the presserplate', with the planing-knife.

A, in the accompanying drawings, represents a platform, to which-is secured an auxiliary platform, @,having the vertical frame B,

vwhich sustains the shaft b, provided at each vend with gear-wheels C, properly constructed to engage a chaingearing. The shaft b has at one extremity acrank-wheeh, through which motion is communicated to the shaft.

Upon the shaftLb, midway between the sides of the frame B, is'rigidly secured the worm D, which engages the gear-wheel d, rigidly secured to the upper end of the vertical shaft E, which is sustained by the bearin gs e attached to the frame B. This shaftE is sustained by the bearings e, as to its upper parts, its lower extremityprestin g upon a block in the center of thebottom of the conical hopper F, the shaft occupying the vertical axial-center ofthe hopper, and being provided on that part below the edge of the hopper with'the mixing-knives f, arranged at right angles to t e shaft, the length of the knives decreasing 'rom top to bottom, so that their operation will effect, to`

as great an extent as possible, the contents of the hopper. h y The knives, being drawn to an edge, willlop- 1, 1876 application mea erate not only to mix, but also to press .the 'l clay down on the lower knives more rapidly than the molds can be lilled. Thus the molds are abundantly Supplied with clay.

The objectof having the hopper conicalis f b eing so placed that as the wheel revolves :y

they pass under and are illed by the material escaping-through the aperture in the bottom y Y The bottom of the mold Hl Y consists of a loose 1' late',-`h; set in the recess, .c and movable therein by means'of a. travelingj f of the hopper.

wheel, I, secured uponk its lower extremity.

At a suitable place opposite the lower edge of ,A the mold-table are provided the inclined ways z', so arranged that as the mold-table revolves.

the travelinglwheels I shall ascend and de- -scend the ways, thereby elevatingy the upper vsurface ofthe looseplate h to the 'level ofthe p upper surface of the mold-table.l Now, when Vthe traveling-,wheels I are in'contact with the auxiliary platform a the yplate h is belowthe upper-surface of the mold-table a distance equal to the` thickness of a brick, andas the recess is 'illed by clay inpassing under the hopper, and as the apex of the ways is suffi-1y cientto elevate the plate 'to the level of the upper surface of the mold-table, it isobvious that a molded brick will be gradually dis-y charged from the recesses as the-wheels I ascendthe ways, and that the plates h will descend, allowing the mold to be refilledl after passing the apex, which is placed inthelongitudinal central plane ofthe device. "Secured to one side of the frame, and arranged so a's to nearly impinge the upper surface of theV mold-table, is .provided 'the presser-plate K provided with the planey k, which is'adjust-a- .ble laterally, vertically,- and, in respect to4 its degree of inclination, by means of the angular slots n andfset-screwsp, shown and placed so that its edge shall sweep that portion of the circumference of the mold-table occupied by the molds."

To the rear of the presser-plateis secured the vertical standard R', the upper end of which passes through the ear z, secured on the lower cross-bar-of the frame, the upper end of the standards being threaded and provided with the nuts z', by the operation of which the relation of the presser-plate to the mold may be regulated.

The purpose of this part of the invention is to press the brick into the mold, as well as to smooth its upper surface.

The edge of the mold-table g is provided with the angular recess L, for the purpose hereinafter specified, and is `geared and suitably arranged to engage the worm l, rigidly secured at the center of the driving-shaft, and working in bearings at each end, near one of which it is provided with the friction-wheel M, which co-operates with a larger friction-wheel, m, upon the driving-shaft N, mounted in bearings at each end, and provided with gearwheels suitable to operate a chain-gearing, whereby these gears are (nected with the gear-wheels c at each end of tue shaft b. One extremity of the -shaft N is provided with a gear-wheel, n, about which passesa chainbelt, connecting it with a suitable gear upon the end of the shaft O, working in bearings `upon the opposite side of the machine. `Adjacent and in front of the shaft last named is `provid ed the rest-table P, supported upon each side by standards, and having at its center a concave section, p, the rest-table being so arranged that the concavity comes in -close relation to the vertical wall of the recess L in` brick is subjected by being moved over a moving surface, the peculiar conformation of the rest-table permitting it to be placed in close relation to the mold.

To the lower cross-bar connecting the sides -of the frame B is secured the plate Q, adjustable vertically by means ofthe slots q and set- 1 screws R, for the purpose of adjusting the height of the sweeping-belt, hereinafter-described, in relation to the upper face of the mold-table g, so that the sweeps on the belt` will properly clear the tableg, and have a full 5 bearing upon the edge of the molded brick. At each end of the plate Q are provided the pendent arms r, the lower extremities of which receive as bearings the ends of the roller S,

over which passes the endless sweeping-belt` H, provided at proper intervals with the vertical sweeps s, all so arranged that, as the belt 1 `H operates, the sweeps s shall come in contact with the molded brick the instant that the vmoving in another, this rasping` operation being determined the instant the brick is swept upon the rest-table.

The other side of the sweeping-beltH passes over and is operated by the recessed roller l, mounted at the center of the shaft t, which operates in bearings upon the standards U, secured to the platform A, one end of the shaft t being provided with a gear-wheel, u, of snitable construction to operate the chain-belt, and of superior size to the similarly-constructed gear-wheel V. secured onthe end of the shaft O, which works in bearings in properly-placed standards W, and is providedimmediatelybelow the sweeping-belt H with the roller w, over which passes the endlessconveying-belt X, the upper surface of which passes in close relation to and upon a level with the center of the rest-table, theother endof the beltbeing sustained by the roller-shaft amounted upon bearings in the standardsy.

It is obvious that, as the gear which operates the sweeping-belt H is larger than that which drives the conveying-belt, they motion of the former belt will be less rapid than the motion of the latter. Thus the molded bricks are moved gradually from the mold-table to the rest-table, thence onto the conveying-belt, which, moving rapidly, conveys them oli', avoiding the danger of contact With the sweeps.

The sweeping-belt may be provided with any number-.of sweeps desired.

The purpose of -usingthe friction-rollers M m is to more perfectly control the operation of the device, so that when the clay in the hopper is stiff the movement of the mold-table may be slackened, when the molds will be allowed more time to till.

It is obvious Ythat a lever or other analogous means may be employed to eiect this result, the shaft earry ng the outer friction-wheel being provided with a featherso that the wheel y gear-'wheels causes the mixing-shaft to be rotated in the hopper, wherein the proper material is no w deposited, being therein suitably mixed. -Thisoperation communicates motion through theshaft and Worm to the mold-table.

The clay, descending through 1 the aperture x, inthe base of lthe hopper, enters intothe recesses inthe mold-table, and is therein carried around, that portion of the clay above the level of the table being smoothed off by the plane, after whichthe'plate at thebo'ttom of the recess begins to be elevated as its wheel comes in contact with the ascending way, the brick gradually emergingfrom the mold, the bottom of which is flush with the top ofthe mold-table when the mold is under theswe'eping-belt, which, revolving one of the sweeps',

Thus theoperationof the planing-knife k, which is made adjustable belt, mold-table, and rest-table, asset forth.

.substantially as specified.

table, vrest-table, and Vconveying-belt, substancomes in contactwith the brick, moving it from the-mold-table to the rest-table, and

thence onto theconveying-belt, which rapidly delivers it at the opposite side of the machine. What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. The presser-plate K, provided with the vertically, laterally, and in respect to its degree of inclination lt the face of the moldtable, substantially as specified.

v2. -An adjustable presser plate, provided with a planing-knife.

3. The combination of an endless sweepin gbelt with an adjustable roller, serving to tighten the belt andadjust its relation to the moldtable, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of an endless sweeping- 5. The resttable,' for the purposespecied.

6. The combination of a movable mold-table with a stationary rest-table.y

7. The mold-table provided with the annular recess L, in co'mbinationwiththe rest-ta ble I), provided with the concave recess p,

8. The combination of a sweeping-belt, moldtially as described. l l v 9; The combination of the recessed moldtable g, Worm l, shaft X', friction-wheels M m,

chainbelt m', gears J C, `haft b, worm D, and

wheel d, substantially as expressed.

10. The'auxniary shaft N, provided with l the friction-wheel m, in combination with wormshaft X', friction-wheel M, and mold-table g, forthe purpose specified.

11. An endless sweeping-belt, provided with one or-.more sweeps, for the purpose of removing the brick from the horizontal moldtable, substantially as set for-th.

12. The combination of a mold-table, oper, ating horizontally, with `an endless lbelt provided with sweeps, for the purpose specified.

13. The combination of an endless sweeping-belt, provided with one or more sweeps, with anhendless conveyingbelt,.substantially asset forth..

j 14. An endless sweeping-belt, provided with' one or more sweeps, in combination with an yendless conveying-belt, the lattenmoving more rapidly than the fo described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing imrmer, substantially as provernent in brick-machines, .asl abovefde is 30th day of December, 1875-.

scrbed,I have hereunto set my band th n CASPER S. BIGLER. Witnesses:

EUGENE SNYDER CHAs. SNYDER. 

